Could of Been
by One Demonic Angel
Summary: A SS/LE prelude to CC about their days as students at Hogwarts which definatly includes some MWPP antics. R/R.


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This story is a Prelude to Cultures Collide. Although it is about Lily and Severus' lives in school it would be better if you read CC first. You will see not only bits and pieces of it in this but also different scenes from the books that I am merely borrowing from JK Rowling.

Disclaimer: In order to make this completely legal I must admit that I do not own any of these characters. They all belong to Ms. Rowling herself and WB studios.

I know the years are a bit off according to the books. In order for this to co-inside with my other stories then it must remain as close to the others as possible.

**Could've Been**  
  
By: Demonic Angel  
  
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**Year 1, Chapter 1 - The Train Ride**  
  
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As they entered the train station the family of four looked around keeping their eyes on everyone that and watching where they going. "This has got to be some sort of foolish stunt, platform 9 3/4, there is absoutly no such thing." the older sister announced.

"Petunia, would you keep your voice down. If you father wants to believe that this is actually correct then the least you can do is show him some respect and follow along." Daisy said not much louder than a whisper.

"I don't see why. All he's doing is incouraging the little freak to be just like Grandma Evans and wind up being locked away in an institution."

Lily stopped walking and turned around glaring at her sister as the older girl fell on face first onto the ground. "Mom, she's doing it again!"

As Daisy helped the older girl back onto her feet she gave Lily a warning glance. "Mum how could I have done it? I wasn't anywhere near her, she just tripped over her long horse legs again."

"You know exactly what you did and you will ceast those stunts right now."Daisy then looked at her husband, "Harold, do you want to do something about your daughter and her tricks or should I?"

"Tiger, you know what you did, now appologize."

"But dad, you heard what she said."

"And I will take care of that when we get home. Appologize."

"Sorry Tuna." Lily spat

Mr Evans glared at Lily but before he could say anything to her she quietly said "Dad look There are some kids with owls over there. Do you think they could be going to Hogwarts also?" While she pointed at a small group of five adults and three boys.

"It is likely. Come on lets find out." he replied as he wheeled Lily's cart over to the group.

"I cannot believe that my son is going to this school. He should be going to Durmstarang. A proper school where Mud-bloods are not permitted."

"Stavros, there is nothing wrong with Hogwarts. It is a good school. Severus will learn alot there and make plenty of friends."

"Any school that allows Mudbloods in it isn't a proper Wizarding school. At least your sister was acepted into Beauxbatons. Why did you have to be such a disappointment?" he said as he stared at his son. "Oh wonderful here comes some of them now. Just what I need to make my day better than it already was." Severus looked in the direction he father was glaring and he couldn't help but stare at the strawberry blond haired girl who smiled back at him.

"Um, excuse me but your children wouldn't happen to be ging to Hogwarts would they?"

"Unfortunatly" Stavros mumered

Sharon glared at her brother and replied. "Don't mind him. Yes they are, is this your daughter's first year also?"

"We look that lost don't we."

"Don't worry about it. It's comfusting for alot of first years." she said as she smiled. "Oh my where are my manners? I am Sharom and this is my husband Jim and our son, James is one of the boys up ahead with glasses. The grump there is my brother Stavros and his son Severus and finally these are our friends Evelyn, and Jonas and their son Sirius is with James."

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Harold and this is my youngest, Lily. I do seem to have lost my wife and other daughter though." Mr. Evans said as he shook hands with everyone except Stavros who just stood there with his arms folded and glaring at them.

"Sherry, if the kids don't hurry they are going to miss the train." Jim stated. "Unfortunatly you won't be able to see her off but if you would like we will make sure she makes it onboard."

Harold looked down at his daughter, "You remember what I said and behave yourself while you are there. I don't want to hear how you have tortured anyone with your little tricks, alright?"

"Yes sir." Lily replied as she hugged her father.

Stavros then pulled his son aside. "Remember what I said. You keep to your own kind. If I hear that you are mingling with people like her, you will not be able to sit down for a week. Understand?"

"Yes father, I understand."

"Good, I have to go see your sister off." and without another word the man turned on his heal and walked away from the boy and didn't even take into consideration that there was no other adults around.

After Harold watched his daughter follow the others through the barrier Daisy and Petunia finally showed up. "Where is she?" Daisy asked.

"She had to go otherwise she would miss her train."

"Figures that she wouldn't at least wait to say goodbye. Maybe she will learn some manners there as well." Petunia stated.

"Petunia, I know it's a hard thing to realize but this whole world does not revolve around you. It is less than 5 minutes before the train leaves and she needs to be onboard." he then looked past them and saw the boy standing alone watching his father leave. "Excuse me um, Severus is it?" The boy took a deep breath and turned around, "If you are going to catch your train you really need to be going now."

The dark eyed boy turned and looked at the older man and although he knew what his father would do if he ever found out he looked in the man's direction he still learned some manners from the times he was left to stay with his aunt and uncle. "Thank you sir."

"Would you do me a favor?"

"Sir?"

"Keep an eye on my tiger for me? All of you kids seem to know one another and I'm afraid she'll feel out of sorts."

"I will try to do what I can sir."

"Thank you Severus."

The boy couldn't believe it. Here he was just starting a new school and some man had given him permission to spend time with his daughter. Yes she was a Muggle born but maybe he would be fortunate and not have to worry about any of his father's friends or their children. As he walked down the length of the train he caught a glimpse of the back of a white headed boy through one of the windows so he proceeded on towards the rear of the train to avoid him. Once he got his trunk into the luggage compartment he went in search of somewhere quiet to sit and maybe even that girl. Finally he reached the very last compartment and he couldn't believe his luck, there she was with nobody else around. He paused outside the doorway and cleared his throat causing her to turn away from the window.

"Oh, hello again." Lily said as she tried to fake a smile.

"Um, hello."

"Are you going to stand there the whole trip or would you like to sit down?"

Severus looked towards the front of the train to make sure nobody he knew noticed where he was, he then entered the compartment and took a seat across from her. "Thank you."

Soon the train started and the two of them were both silent as Lily stared out the window and Severus kept finding himself staring at her. "Please tell me I don't have anything hanging out of my nose." she said.

"Huh?" he said as he was pulled from the trance. "Oh no not at all."

"You've been staring at me most of the time you've been in here. Would you mind telling me why?"

"My appologies. It's just you um, look like your mind is elsewhere. Is there something bothering you?"

"I'm just nevious. I've never been away from home like this and I really don't know what to expect."

"Never been away from home? You don't go and visit with your family or anything?"

"No, mum's parents are dead and she doesn't like us to be alone with dad's parents."

"What about aunts or uncles?"

"They were both only children."

"Sometimes I wish I was an only child."

"You have brothers and sisters? Do they go to Hogwarts too?"

"I have a twin sister but she was accepted into Beauxbatons."

"Beauxbatons?"

"It's one of the other Wizarding schools just like Durmstrang where my father wanted me to go."

"Well I'm glad you didn't go there."

Severus raised an eyebrow and replied "Excuse me?"

"If you had gone there then I wouldn't have anyone to talk to and I'd still be sitting here by myself."

"I'm quite sure you wouldn't have been alone for long. There's alot of other girls that would join you in here sooner or later."

"Probably the annoying giggling ones who only talk about fashions and gossip about one another like my sister." 

"I am sure not all the other girls are like that." As he finished his sentence a group of first year girls walked by the door, looked in then started giggling as they continued down the isle. Lily glanced at Severus with a small smile. "Alright then, I stand corrected."

The two of them sat and talked for a good half hour while Severus told her all about what he had heard about the school from his uncle and some older kids he knew through his parents. He made her feel alot more comfortable about leaving her family and looking forward to seeing everything that she believen only exsisted in the edtime stories that her father use to tell her.

About half way through the trip an older white haired boy stuck his head into the compartment. "There you are." Severus didn't reply, he just glared at him. "I wonder what your father would do if he knew you were comfortable spending time with the likes of her."

"What is wrong with him sitting in here? It's not like we were doing anything but talking."

"It doesn't matter what you were doing, at least to me it doesn't. I wouldn't mind spendng time with someone like you. Afterall I'm at least old enough to realize what you will definatly learn one day." Lucius said as he smiled and stepped closer to her. "There is only one true thing that a little Mudblood is good for and one day I plan on showing you what that is."

"Stay away from her Malfoy." said a voice from the doorway.

"Well Potter, always showing up just in time to save another little Mudblood, just like your old man. Snape, are you coming or is there some information you would like for me to share with your father?"

"Is that all you kow how to do Lucius? For someone who acts like they know everything you sure show the only thing you do know is how to run to daddy. You really haven't changed since elementry school now have you?"

"You will pay for that remark Potter. Just wait until we're at school and can use magic again."

"What are you going to do, send a magical message to my father? He'll just laugh it off like all the others."

"You will see soon enough. Come along Snape."

Severus stood up and started following the older boy out of the compartment but paused momentarily at the four boys that had arrived. "I had better get going you know how..."

"Go ahead Sev, yes I know how Stavros is." James said. He and the other boys then sat down, "Sorry about that. I hope they didn't make you think all of us were like that."

"The blonde was rude but the other one seemed nice enough."

"I believe you are the only girl other than his sister that has ever said something like that about him." James stated.

"I don't see why not, he sat in here and kept me company until that jerk showed up."

"Well well guys, it looks like some little girl actually has her eye on the mean greasy git." Sirius joked.

"I don't have an eye on him, all I said was that he was nice to me. At least he doesn't go around making fun of people."

"Don't get Sirius wrong, he was only teasing. We have known Snape almost as long as Jamsie here and you are the only person we've known to be able to keep his nose out of a book or his mind off of a potion of some kind." Remus explained

"That explains it, maybe he gave her a love potion." Sirius said, "You didn't go and drink anything from him did you?"

"Do you mean something that is black and bubbly from a small vile and tastes like cranberry juice?" she asked teasingly.

"I don't know what it would look or taste like but tell me you didn't take anything like that from him." Sirius said sounding more (I hate to say it) serious than he ever had in his life.

Remus looked at the girl seeing through the little joke she was playing on his trickster friends as she replied "Matter of fact I did."

"Are you nutters? That could have been a poison of some kind. You won't survive if you go drinking things that just anyone gives you without knowing where they came from." Sirius spat.

"But I do know what was in it and where it came from. He got it from the trolly cart." Lily replied as Remus and James started laughing at their friend.

"Siri, how many times do we have to tell you. Severus isn't all that bad." James said.

"You're only saying that because he's your cousin, I still don't trust him. Anyone who hangs around with Malfoy is not to be trusted." Sirius replied.

"No I'm saying it because it's true. You'll see one day."

"So does this mean we can't prank the git?"

"Now I didn't say that. It all depends on what house he's put into." James said with a wicked smirk.

"What to say that you won't be put into the same house that he is?" Lily asked.

"With the studies his parents have forced him to under go he will either be in Slytherin for the dark arts or Ravenclaw for constantly studying." James stated

"And you don't think that the lot of you could wind up in either of those two houses?" Lily asked.

"Jamsie or I wind up in Ravenclaw? That's a joke within itself. The only way we'd be in that house is if the old hat had gotten into the firewiskey again. We'll definatly be in Gryffindor, afterall that's where our parents were. The closest any of us will get to the other houses will be if Remus gets into Ravenclaw since his nose in a book almost as much as Severus."

"You guys know I'll never get into Ravenclaw. Not with all the school I've missed in the past. I'll be lucky if I can even keep up with you guys."

"Stop selling yourself short Remus, you know you're smarter than the rest of us here and I'm sure the professors will understand your situation." James told his friend.

Lily looked at the boy curiously wanting to ask what kind of situation his friends were talking about but figured that if he wanted to say something he just may. Afterall she had just met the boy. "Look at the time." Sirius piped in, "We should be pulling into the station shortly. You may want to go get changed into your robes unless you'd be interested in giving us a little show. Or maybe you'd like a bit of a show from the four of us changing."

"I would rather eat a handful of those vomit flavored beans before any of that happens. I'll just leave you to entertain yourselves. Just make sure you make it quick, I don't take long to change and this was my cabin first." she replied as she grabbed her uniform and headed to find a changing room.

Sirius watched her leave "Fiesty that one is. You don't think she'd be interested in..."

"I really doubt she would be your type. If anything she would probably tear you to shreads first chance she had." James said interrupting his friend.

Sirius smirked "Well then I suppose we'll have to add her to our hit list and see how well she plays the game."

"Now that could be interesting. Afterall we do need someone to take Pattie's place." James agreed

Lily arrived back at the compartment and walked right in without knocking as she laughed to herself over the boys reactions. Remus and James seemed to heed her warning about being a quick dresser and were already changed by the time she walked in while Peter laid on the ground struggling to get into his trousers and Sirius stood there in his underwear and robes holding his pants in his hand and smiling at her. "I figured you would enjoy a good show but were just to proud to admit it."

"Personally I've been more impressed by the infants that I babysit." she replied as she sat down with her back to the window.

Just then as predicted the train started pulling into the station and the goup was startled as they heard a tapping noise on their window. James and Sirius opened the window and shouted out at the giant "Heya Hagrid!"

"'ello boys." Hagrid said as he walked over to the window. "Now Sirius I know yer parents learned you better than that. What do you think they would say if they knew you were running around in your boxers again?" then he took notice of Lily sitting there "Better yet how do you think her parents would feel if they knew about this? You don't want her having a bad impression of the lot of you on yer first day do you?"

"No worries about me sir. My impression of him was made the minute he opened his mouth and stuck his foot in it." Lily stated as she got up and left the compartment dragging her trunk behind her.

Hagrid shook his head at the boys and he soon left and started calling all the first year students over to him while the older kids climbed onboard the different carriages. As Lily followed the line of other kids she felt someone step on the heal of her shoe. At first she ignored it thinking that it was just an accident but then when it was done the second and third time she figured that it was time she gave Sirius a piece of her mind so she stopped dead in her tracks and turned around saying, "I thought that you would have understood in the cabin that I'm not at all impressed by you." but she was shocked to see the black eyed boy staring back at her.

"Um, my appologies. I just wanted to...um, nevermind. I'm sorry I won't bother you again." Severus said as he walked around her and proceeded towards the boats.

Lily then closed her eyes and sighed feeling like a compleate fool, especially when she heard laughing coming from the direction of the train. When she looked up she noticed Sirius and Peter laughing at her while James shook his head and Remus glared at the two of them. She the turned and walked quickly towards the rest of the students but unfortunatly with everyone dressed alike she had lost him in the crowd. Or so she thought. Lily was then directed into a small boat with three other children as she continued to try to look for Severus but the night sky quickly took over blocking out any possible view she could have had. Little did she know that he was in the front row of the boat directly behind her watching her closely as he was hidden by the shadows.

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TBC

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_A/N: Well there's the first chapter of this story. I've had the majority of it on disk for the longest time now and I figured it was time to get it started. Don't worry, I'm still going to continue with Collision, I just needed a little change of pace this week. Not to mention my muse has been screaming at me to get this out._

Please leave a review letting me know exactly what you think about this one. I'm curious.


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